Angels hire Washington as manager
MLB
Los Angeles Angels
Baseball
The Los Angeles Angels are turning to a veteran to lead their ball club, hiring the 71-year-old Ron Washington to be their manager on Wednesday.
Washington, who becomes the old manager in major league baseball, hasn’t managed a team since 2014, with the Texas Rangers.
His only previous experience as a manger in MLB came with the Rangers from 2007-14, as he directed the team to AL pennants in 2010 and 2011. He went 664-611 during his eight years at the helm in Texas, and also reached the playoffs in 2012, losing a one-game wild-card series to the Baltimore Orioles.
Washington spent the past seven seasons as the Atlanta Braves’ third base coach, helping the franchise to the 2021 World Series title.
He becomes Los Angeles’ fourth manager in the last six years and replaces Phil Nevin after the Angels decided to part ways with him after 1 1/2 seasons.
Despite having three-time AL MVP Mike Trout and 2021 league MVP Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles finished fourth in the AL West this past season with a 73-89 – its eighth consecutive losing season.
It’s been nine seasons since the Angels last made the play-offs, the longest postseason drought in MLB.
